Attorney Profile

Dan Higgins focuses on representing businesses and public utility companies involved in the telecommunications, water, sewer and renewable energy industries. This representation includes regular appearances and practice before the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority, and occasional involvement in matters before the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Dan graduated from Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, and an English Minor. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 1981. As a college student, he was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. Dan worked in the Special Prosecutions Section of the Attorney General’s Office for the first four years after he graduated from law school, and is a founding member of Burns, Day and Presnell, P.A.

Dan has over 20 years experience in practicing before the North Carolina Utilities Commission and he has represented incumbent local exchange companies, competitive local exchange companies, commercial mobile radio service providers, natural gas companies, trucking companies, water and sewer companies, hydroelectric generators and landfill gas and similar waste-to-energy ventures.

Dan provides Burns, Day and Presnell’s clients with seasoned business and regulatory advice and insights on a broad variety of subjects. He has significant experience in negotiating and arbitrating interconnection agreements for telecommunications clients. He has also counseled telecommunications providers on a host of regulatory, marketing and legislative issues. Dan handles commercial litigation for the firm’s utility clients, as well as construction and lien litigation for other firm clients.

As part of his practice, Dan has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Supreme Court, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and various state and federal trial courts.

Dan has achieved the prestigious "AV®" rating, the top ranking in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. This rating is the result of a structured peer review and is based upon the confidential opinions of practicing attorneys and members of the judiciary. Dan is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White) for Communications Law.